Lex (Unconventional Hearts) (25 page)

Suit Master:
Angel, did you like the
bracelet?

Me:
Yes, thank you
.

Suit Master:
What’s wrong?

Me:
Nothing.

Suit Master:
Lex, if you don’t tell me,
you know I can find out other ways.

I guess he’s right about that. The Suit
Master seems to know just about everything about me. On the outside
that is.

Right now, I’m lying in bed. I just took a
bath and drank an entire bottle of red wine to drown my sorrows
while listening to Patsy. I need to sleep, but I can’t. And the
Suit Master just texted me. It’s like he knows I’m in bed, bored,
sad, and staring at my coffered ceiling.

Me:
Fine…you win. I can’t sleep. I’m
depressed and I miss my little girl.

Suit Master:
You don’t have a daughter. So
who’s the little girl?

Me:
A friend of mines.

Suit Master:
Male or female?

Me:
Male

Suit Master:
Do you love him?

Me:
I’m not discussing my feelings with
you.

Suit Master:
That would be a yes.

Me:
No. That would be a, none of your damn
business.

Suit Master:
How about I keep your mind
off this new beau of yours? Who btw you’re not supposed to be
feeling anything for. I thought we already had this discussion. Me
plus you, equals relationship.

Me:
I
can’t have a relationship
with a phone or a computer.

Suit Master:
You also can’t have one with
me until you get comfortable enough.

True. However, I’m not telling giving him the
satisfaction of agreeing with him.

Me:
Ok Suit Master, make me
comfortable.

Suit Master:
I thought you’d never
ask.

I can almost see a sly smile through the
phone. He’s a good distraction. Gotta give the man some credit, he
seems to know more about me than Gage does and he’s still
interested. That might be a good thing, or it could mean he’s a
psycho stalker like I’ve predicted. Even though, Roni keeps pushing
me toward him. I know she wants me to be with someone and I don’t
think she cares who.

Suit Master:
Chocolate or Vanilla ice
cream?

Me:
If you know so much about me.
Shouldn’t you already know the answer?

Eat that, you dirty scoundrel.

Suit Master:
That’s not the fun of the
game, Lex. I want you to willingly tell me.

Me:
No, why should I? If you already know
the answer. Or do you?

Suit Master:
Fine. But you have to ask me
questions too and pretend to actually want to know the
answers.

Me:
Deal

Suit Master:
You my Angel, like Rocky Road
ice cream, with sprinkles, caramel sauce and coconut.

WHAT THE!??

Me:
How in the hell?

Suit Master:
Thought you had me stumped
didn’t you?

Me:
Yes!!!!

Suit Master:
Lol…I told you… I know
you.

Does he know about my lady?

Suit Master:
Your turn.

Me:
Fine… Favorite food?

Suit Master:
Steak, medium rare.

Three hours later

Me:
I’m finally tired, thanks for keeping
me company.

Suit Master:
No problem, Angel. Sleep
well. Talk with you tomorrow… The secret of being a bore is telling
everything.

Me:
Is that your way of telling me you
told me too much? Lol…

Ten Minutes later

Evidently, he’s decided he’s done conversing
with me tonight. It’s already climbing into the wee hours of the
morning. I’m officially tuckered out. Tonight, it was nice to relax
and casually chat with the Suit Master. I found out quite a bit
about him. He likes steak, hates olives, and owns two vehicles,
although he won’t tell me what they are. He admitted that Babs his
dog isn’t actually his dog. She’s his dads, but he goes there every
Sunday for lunch and that his dad just recently remarried a woman
young enough to be his daughter. Which made me laugh. It was an
informative and entertaining night, kept my mind from retreating
back to Emma and Gage.

Now it’s time for some shuteye.

Chapter Sixteen

Wednesday

Me:
Come on Gage… Answer my texts. I want
to pick Emma up from school today. Is that okay? I’m going to see
her after school unless you tell me otherwise.

I’ve been texting Gage all morning trying to
get him to answer me. I even called his office and his bitch ass
secretary said he was in a meeting. I want to see Emma today, and I
don’t care how much of a bother or pain in the ass I’m being. I
miss her, a lot.

One hour later

Gage:
No, you may not.

Me:
Finally you text back. Aren’t you
working late? I can watch her.

Gage:
What don’t you get about the word
NO? No means no, I conceded to staying at your house on Monday,
even after you blew me off. What makes you think I want to relive
that nightmare?

My heart pains with malignant shame, and I
rub it. I can’t believe he feels this way. It hurts to read.

Me:
Being around me was a
nightmare?

Gage:
All of Monday night and Tuesday
morning was a nightmare reincarnated.

Me:
Ouch that hurts.

Gage:
Yeah…well…the truth fuckin hurts
don’t it? You kiss me and then you push me away. You don’t think
that hurt me?

Me:
It wasn’t about you!!! It’s about
me!

Gage:
Sure…perfect Lex has a flaw! Please
spare me the bullshit.

Me:
You don’t even know me.

Gage:
You’re right and you’ve made it
abundantly clear time and time again that you don’t want me to get
to know you.

Me:
I like you!!

Shit shit shit… I shouldn’t have admitted
that. Talk about playing with a man’s head. He’s going to think I’m
lying and only telling him because I want to see Emma.

Gage:
No you don’t! You find me
attractive. There is a difference! Every fucking female wants to
bang me, Lex. Or suck my cock, like they’re sucking chrome from a
bumper. I’m not stupid. I get hit on all the damn time. I don’t
give a fuck about other women. I wanted to know you. Find out more
about YOU. Do you realize my daughter hasn’t fucking stopped
talking about you since we left your house Tuesday. Can you imagine
how much that fucks with a little kid’s head? You fucked with her
head, Lex. You fucked with my baby girl’s head. Playing like some
fucking angelic mother that she’s always wanted. You bought her a
play set, slept with her on the couch. You’re the reason I don’t
date!

Now I feel like a piece of shit! He’s so
right. I hate that he’s right. God I’m a terrible woman!

Me:
I’m sorry. I love Emma. I want to be
in her life.

Gage:
We are a package, Emma and I are a
damn package, Lex. I’m her fucking dad. Don’t you get that? HER
DAD!

Me:
I’m sorry.

I don’t know what else to say other than
that.

Gage:
Yeah well… tell that to someone who
fucking cares. Goodbye Lex. I’ll see you on Friday. Leave me and my
daughter alone!

Suit Master:
Angel, I’ve been texting you
all day. I’m coming over if I don’t hear from you soon. Did you get
my present?

Crying in bed, I read the Suit Masters
fifteenth text of the day. Another gift was delivered today. It was
dinner from Dolly’s Dairy Dream. Another strange thing he obviously
knows about me. Good thing he had food sent because I wasn’t going
to eat a dang thing after the terrible day I’ve had. I came home
from work and I’ve been in bed crying ever since. I can’t believe
Emma is gone. All because I turned Gage away. As much as I want to
blame him and be mad at him, I can’t be. He’s being a dad and
trying to protect his daughter. I can’t fault that. Even though I
wish I could.

Roni also hasn’t spoken to me since yesterday
and I refuse to worry my mom or Lincoln with my problems. Life is
pretty sucky right now. I pray it doesn’t take long for Roni to
stop being angry with me. I miss my best friend.

Me:
Yes, thanks. I wouldn’t have eaten if
it wasn’t for that.

Suit Master:
Why? You ok?

Me:
No

Suit Master:
Talk to me

Me:
No

Suit Master:
Is this about that little
girl?

Me:
How’d you know?

Suit Master:
You’re a woman and you were
upset about it last night. Most women don’t get over feelings that
easily.

Me:
You’ve got that right.

Two hours later

Me:
Thanks again for an amazing night of
distractions.

Suit Master:
It’s been my pleasure, Angel.
Soon enough we’ll meet and you’ll fall in love with me and all of
this depressive nonsense will be in the past.

Me:
Glad to see you’re still
delusional.

Suit Master:
Man is not made for
defeat.

Chapter Seventeen

Friday

“You ready to get this over with?” Daniel
asks, standing in my office doorway. Since Wednesday, he’s been
checking in on me constantly. It’s dreadfully annoying.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” To see Gage that
is.

Rolling my office chair backward, and sliding
on my black Louis’s, I stand and smooth down the sides of my sexy
yet conservative turquoise and black mini business dress, synched
with a black corset belt. The neckline gives away a little cleavage
but it’s not too low. Considering I am signing over half a million
dollars, because I showed too much flirtatiousness and breasts
during a contract signing. I opted for less boobage. This
settlement is nothing but a big bunch of BS anyhow.

Following behind Daniel out of my office and
down the hall to the conference room, I take a deep breath and tail
him inside.

Sitting down at the oval table, Donald is
already eye fucking me, and Roni hasn’t even acknowledged my
presence. I don’t like it when she’s mad at me.

Taking the seat next to mine, Daniel reaches
under the table and supportively pats my knee.

“Sorry I’m late.” Gage announces, making his
grand entrance. I keep my gaze adverted to the table and pick my
freshly manicured nails.

Yesterday, I took a personal day. I went to
Sally’s Salon, and had my nails, hair, and toes done. I felt a
hundred times better once I finished there. Then I stopped by
Barbie’s and picked up some dessert and my biscotti for the week.
We chatted a while and by the time I came home last night, I felt
better about my life. I haven’t felt like myself in days and
spending another two hours conversing with Suit Master last night
in bed, through texting, left me in a good place. It was the first
night I’ve slept well all week. When I woke up this morning, now
that’s a whole different story. I dreaded coming in today, knowing
I had to come face-to-face with Gage. The man I’m… I dunno
with.

“Let’s make this quick.” He declares and I
nod, still picking my nails and biting my lip, about to burst from
an overflow of anxiety.

“Ms. Keagan and Ms. Phoenix, you will need to
sign these.” Sliding papers across the table, I turn to Kim, our
lawyer. And she nods approvingly of this document that I’m sure
she’s thoroughly read through.

Daniel drops a pen on the document, and I
sign where the pink color tabs indicate. Still unable to bring
myself to look up, Daniel does the decent thing and hands the
packet back to Gage.

“That’s all.” I hear the tapping of papers on
the table, the zip of a briefcase, and Gage exchanging professional
handshakes for a completed case. I should probably participate in
this.

Bravely glancing up, my heart nearly explodes
out of my chest at the sight of him. Daniel, somehow knowing how I
must be feeling, grabs my knee, centering me.

“I’m okay.” I whisper to him and stand,
reaching across the table I extend the professional courtesy and
shake all three Saks reps hands. Then it’s Gage’s turn, offering my
hand he takes it into his, giving it a little jerk. I peer up to
see what that was for, and when our eyes meet, I hold my breath and
nervously gnaw on my bottom lip. He’s unbelievably gorgeous today.
Hairs done to perfection, his face slightly scruffy, just enough to
wonder what it’d feel like brushing against my skin. His black suit
with steel gray vest and blue paisley tie is impeccably tailored to
his body. I can’t see his shoes, but I’d guess he’s wearing some
expensive designer ones.